Imaginative acts of photographic of self-representation as a critical response to representations of the black male body in South African photography

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The first part of this thesis discusses some of the problematic photographic practices thatform part of the modern visual discourse employed in defining the representation of the blackman in South African photography. The aim of this thesis is to critically investigate the visualdiscourse in contemporary South African photography and to outline the inherent flawswhereby the black male subject is represented according to racial stereotypes inherited fromthe photographic conventions of colonial discourse. The purpose of this is to investigate myown photographic practice by drawing a critical comparison with the works of Germanphotographer Gustav Theodor Fritsch (b.1834-1927), South African photographers AlfredMartin Duggan-Cronin (b.1874-1954), the Caney brothers (1844-1899), Steve Hilton-Barber(b.1962-2002), Pieter Hugo (b.1976-), Zanele Muholi (b.1972-) and Zwelethu Mthethwa(b.1960-), and Nigerian-born British photographer Rotimi Fani-Kayode (b.1955-1989). Myargument is centred around the discussion of these photographer's works and the visualimpact on the manner in which the black subject is portrayed as a 'noble savage'. Thepredominant visual representation of the black body in South African photographyperpetuates the kinds of discourse that rely on anthropological photographic methods ofrepresentation. I argue that where the depiction of the black male body is concerned, anumber of contemporary South African photographers mentioned in this thesis continue tounconsciously appropriate a colonial discourse wherein the body of the black man is cast inthe exotic role of 'noble savage' with extreme attributes regarding sex and gender, either asextremely 'effeminate' or, alternatively, as 'hyper-masculine' and exuding a 'raw' sexualprowess (Read, 1996:64). The work that I create and my photographic practices utilise someof the abovementioned artists' problematical visual devices in order to subvert them but alsoto create an alternate perception of black representation.In the second chapter of this thesis, I critically evaluate the work of Rotimi Fani-Kayode as astrategy to employ alternate means of visual representation of the black body in order tocritically re-evaluate the work of contemporary South African artists in their depiction of theblack male body through either studio photography or documentary photography. The aim isto point out imaginative forms of representation as an alternative to either of the two modesof photography mentioned above. The argument then aims to put emphasis on acts ofimaginative self-representation, a contemporary mode in photographic art practice made popular by Rotimi Fani-Kayode. Imaginative self-representation involves 'the ritualistictransformation of the colonial imagery into creations of our own as black artists in order tosubvert the dominant discourses on representations of the black body (Fani-Kayode, 1997:6).This is just one of the important strategies used by the artists mentioned in this thesis tocritique black sexuality. My works and practices draw their influence from the discourses thatdominate the contemporary discourse on the representation of the black body. My argumentlooks at stereotypical forms of photographic practice and critiques the problematicalconstruct of such representations of black male sexuality. The purpose is to expose some ofthe Western principles that seek to regulate and control the black body. My own practicefocuses on creating works of art that form part of my cultural and historical background.Sexuality and gender are discussed in the third part of this thesis as a means to outline myown photographic practice and its influences.The third chapter investigates the masculinity of the black subject through a discussion ofsexuality and gender performativity. In this chapter, gender proves to be a performative,unlike some of the essentialist assumptions made about how sexuality and gender areunchanging. A visual mechanism that seeks to critically question racist representations ofblack sexuality such as drag and performativity is applied in the construction of affirmativeimagery of black masculinity. The final chapter of the thesis focuses on my own work as anexample of imaginative forms of self-representation. The first, second and third parts of theargument serve to provide a theoretical framework in which to situate my own practice.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University